Modesto, California, is a culturally rich city surrounded by quiet residential neighborhoods. Several big-name entertainers have called Modesto home, such as filmmaker George Lucas and actor Timothy Olyphant. U.S. News & World Report analyzed 150 metro areas in the U.S. and ranked Modesto, California, as No. 12 in the category of best places to live in California.

The city has a population of 210,166 with a median age of 35.3 and a climate comfort index of 8.3 out of 10. Modesto is a small agricultural town located 80 miles southeast of Sacramento and 70 miles east of the Bay Area. The city is the county seat of Stanislaus County in central California.

Modesto was founded in 1870 by the Central Pacific Railroad. Some of the local attractions include a 25-foot-high arch, Lucas Plaza, which contains a statue dedicated to George Lucas, and McHenry Museum. Residents have access to Stanislaus National Forest, Turlock and Modesto irrigation reservoirs, and several nearby recreational areas.

The city has an active community and a high diversity index. It boasts an active arts and entertainment community, including live theater, public murals, comedy clubs, and live music. The open area offers access to fishing, motocross, wakeboarding, and hiking. The local Modesto Marathon is a qualifying run for the New York and Boston Marathons, and the Del Rio Country Club hosts the California amateur championship.

If you’ve been injured in Modesto because of someone else’s negligence or recklessness, you may be suffering from pain, stress, and uncertainty about what to do next. Seek out a trusted Modesto personal injury attorney from OnderLaw to discuss your options and exercise your right to obtain compensation for your injuries.

After an accident, you may be owed damages for injuries you receive in a car accident, truck accident, dog bite, or from nursing home abuse. You may have lost wages from missed work, lost your earning ability from a disabling injury, or may be faced with mounting medical expenses, emotional trauma, mental anguish, and the loss of enjoyment of life.

The lawyers at OnderLaw have been serving clients like you and your family in Modesto and across the nation. Our team has secured over $3.5 billion in awards and court verdicts. Call our office today or contact us online for a free consultation about how to protect your rights.

How an Injury Lawyer Can Help After an Accident in Modesto

The decisions you make in the hours, weeks, and months after a personal injury accident can impact your ability to recover fair compensation. The goal of insurance companies is not to compensate you fairly but instead to protect their assets. An insurance adjuster may approach you immediately after an injury to offer you a settlement. Many times, this is a lowball offer made in the hope that you will accept the compensation and settle the case.

However, injuries from an accident that wasn’t your fault can have a lasting impact on your ability to work and enjoy the activities you used to do. A severe injury may require extensive treatment and long-term rehabilitation. In some cases, people don’t fully recover. When you work with a personal injury lawyer in Modesto, you and your family have the best opportunity to recover fair compensation to cover your costs and damages.

It is important to note that not every attorney has the knowledge and skill to represent you in a personal injury claim. The attorneys at OnderLaw have extensive experience protecting the rights of people who have been injured. The firm has a long track record of caring for our clients and treating them with honor and respect. Call us today for a free consultation.

Common Injury Claims in Modesto

After an accident or injury, you may have the right to make a claim for compensation. Some of the more common situations where claims are appropriate include:

The lawyers at OnderLaw have the knowledge and skill to handle a wide variety of injury claims in Modesto, including:

Nursing Home Abuse

California law mandates that nursing homes are licensed, routinely inspected, and certified. Several state and federal agencies are responsible for this process. Despite strict oversight, abuse and neglect by nursing home caregivers and other residents can occur. Actions may be brought against the facility by a resident, their family, or their heirs if the victim died. Some common types of abuse include:

  • Abandonment
  • Dehydration or malnutrition
  • Delayed/neglected diagnosis for illness
  • Delayed/neglected diagnosis of an injury
  • Neglect
  • Financial exploitation or fraud
  • Physical abuse
  • Slip and fall
  • Sexual abuse
  • Psychological abuse
  • Emotional abuse
  • Misdiagnosed illness or injury

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Personal and commercial motor vehicle accidents happen every day. The types of vehicles involved in collisions can include:

  • Cars
  • Trucks
  • Commercial vehicles
  • Motorcycles
  • Recreational vehicles (RVs, quads, and other motorized vehicles)

Our legal team has handled several types of motor vehicle accidents, including:

  • Intersection collisions
  • Single-vehicle accident
  • Multiple-vehicle accident
  • Rideshare collisions
  • Distracted driving accident
  • Drunk driving accident
  • Rear-end collision
  • Side-impact collision
  • Head-on collision
  • Rollover accidents
  • Bicycle accidents
  • Pedestrian accident

Worker’s Compensation

California law requires all employers who have at least one employee to carry a worker’s compensation insurance policy. The policy helps cover the medical costs if an employee is hurt or sick because of their work.

An employee may receive several different types of benefits from a worker’s compensation policy. These benefits can include payment for medical care, return-to-work supplements, temporary or permanent disability benefits, and death benefits. A worker’s compensation policy pays benefits after:

  • Slip and fall accidents
  • Accidents from flying objects or falling debris
  • Accidents with heavy machinery
  • Car, truck, or commercial vehicle accidents
  • Exposure to hazardous materials
  • Workplace accidents with another employee involving violence or conflict

Premises Liability Accidents

If a building or structure is unsafe or in a defective condition and is the cause of an accident, the victim’s claim may be covered by premises liability insurance. A property owner’s failure to keep their property in reasonably safe condition may result in a finding that they were negligent, which supports a personal injury claim. Our team has handled a variety of injuries from premises liability accidents, including:

  • Accidents from poor security
  • Dog or animal bites
  • Construction site accidents
  • Defective stairs
  • Fire safety and building code violations
  • School accidents
  • Elevator accidents
  • Ceiling collapse
  • Inadequate lighting
  • Slip and fall accidents
  • Swimming pool accidents
  • Theme park accidents

Commonplace Injuries After Accidents in Modesto

Accidents can cause injuries that result in long-lasting physical or emotional challenges that impact the lives of you and your family. California law states the at-fault party can be held accountable for their actions. Some of the common types of injuries in Modesto include:

Nursing Home Injuries

Unfortunately, elder abuse is not uncommon. It’s a problem that robs people of their dignity and security. Nearly 10% of Americans 60 and older have experienced some form of elder abuse. Some of the common injuries include:

  • Bedsores
  • Choking
  • Mental abuse
  • Medication overdose
  • Emotional trauma
  • Medications not given
  • Neglected infections
  • Sexual abuse
  • Fractured bones
  • Severe bruises
  • Slip and fall
  • Head and neck injuries
  • Abandonment
  • Malnutrition
  • Dehydration

Injuries from a Motor Vehicle Accident

Motor vehicle accident injuries can range from minor to severe and can include:

  • Burns
  • Broken bones
  • Concussion
  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Paralysis
  • Knee injuries
  • Crush injuries
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Scrapes and lacerations
  • Muscle sprains and strains
  • Tendon and ligament damage
  • Head and neck injuries
  • Whiplash
  • Organ damage
  • Disfiguring injuries and scars
  • Limb loss

Common Workers’ Compensation Injuries

Workplace injuries may result in an inability to return to your job. You may need to change jobs, or you may be permanently disabled. Some common injuries that happen in the workplace include:

  • Concussions
  • Amputations
  • Crush injuries
  • Soft-tissue injuries
  • Brain injuries
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Sprains and strains
  • Overuse injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Contusions
  • Fractures
  • Burns
  • Exposure to toxins
  • Hearing loss

Common Premises Liability Injuries

Improperly maintained structures or equipment may result in you being injured on someone else’s property. These injuries may be severe and lead to the need for long-term rehabilitation. Some common injuries include:

  • Internal injury and organ damage
  • Sprains and strains
  • Burns
  • Lacerations and scrapes
  • Dog bites
  • Head and neck injuries
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Dislocated joints
  • Fractures
  • Drowning

How Is Compensation Determined?

You may be awarded damages in up to three categories by the court. Potential compensation includes economic, non-economic, and punitive damages. In settlement negotiations with insurance companies, you can include economic and non-economic damages in the assessment of compensation you’re owed.

Economic Damages

These are the financial losses that have occurred because of your injury.

Medical expenses – This includes any medical expenses or bills related to your injury. The cost of mental health treatment is part of your economic damages. Keep records of all expenses for treatment of both physical and mental injuries to document their impact on your life.

Income – The court considers financial losses associated with your employment as a result of the injury. This also includes lost future earning capacity from an injury or disability that results from the accident.

Property damage – You may be compensated for personal items or property that was damaged or destroyed during the accident.

Non-Economic Damages

These damages are for subjective, non-monetary losses and include:

Physical pain and suffering – You may be awarded compensation for the pain you endured from your injuries.

Emotional trauma – Emotional trauma that resulted from your injury may include depression, anxiety, fear, or PTSD.

Mental stress – After an injury, you may suffer financial worries from job loss or the strain of living with a chronic injury.

Loss of enjoyment – Following an injury, you may be unable to do things you used to enjoy, such as taking part in a hobby. The court can compensate you for that loss.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are awarded at the court’s discretion when there is clear evidence the at-fault party’s behavior was reckless, negligent, or intentional. The award is used to curb malicious or dangerous behavior and may act as a deterrent for future offenses. Punitive damages are rarely awarded.

Accident Statistics in California

Accidents that result in injuries that aren’t your fault are not uncommon. Data from California and across the U.S. reveal some interesting statistics.

In 2018, the California Office of Traffic Safety reported death totals from traffic accidents:

  • 165 bicyclist deaths
  • 523 motorcycle accident deaths
  • 978 pedestrian accident deaths
  • 1,116 drunk driving deaths

The National Safety Council (NSC) reported an 8% rise in traffic deaths in 2020 over 2019. This happened in a year when people drove 13% less than they did in 2019.

The 2021 annual report from the State of California Department of Industrial Relations showed there were 451 fatalities at work in 2019, an increase of 29 deaths from 2018.

Each year there are 4.5 million dog bites in the U.S., and 20% of those get infected. The San Luis Obispo Tribune reports that State Farm data show California is the No. 1 state for dog bite injuries among their claims.

Statute of Limitations for Lawsuits in Modesto

If you were injured in an accident in Modesto that wasn’t your fault, you have a limited time to file a lawsuit for damages with the court. These limits include:

  • Two years from the date of the injury for most lawsuits.
  • Two years for a wrongful death lawsuit from the date of death if the person died as a result of the injury. If a person dies three months after injuries sustained in the accident, the clock starts on the day of death and not the date of the accident.
  • One year after you discover a medical malpractice accident, and not more than three years after the date of the injury.
  • Six months if the lawsuit will be against a city, county, or state government agency.

If a lawsuit is not filed within these time limits, the court will most likely dismiss your case. This is why it is crucial to see a personal injury lawyer to protect your rights. Contact an attorney from OnderLaw as soon as possible after any accident in which you’re injured in Modesto.

Resources in Modesto for Accident Victims

If you or a loved one has been hurt in Modesto, the following resources may help you get assistance.

Hospitals

Sutter Health Memorial Medical Center

Address: 1700 Coffee Road, Modesto, CA 95355

Phone:   (209) 526-4500

Central Valley Specialty Hospital

Address: 730 17th Street, Modesto, CA 95384

Phone:   (209) 248-7700

Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Modesto

Address: 1303 Mable Avenue, Modesto, CA 95355

Phone:   (209) 857-3400

Doctors Medical Center

Address: 1441 Florida Avenue, Modesto, CA 95350

Phone:   (209) 578-1221

Stanislaus Surgical Hospital

Address: 1421 Oakdale Rd, Modesto, CA 95355

Phone:   (209) 572-2700

Law Enforcement

After being injured in an accident, it is crucial to file an official police report.  You can file this report in one of two locations in Modesto:

Modesto Police Department

Address: 600 10th Street, Modesto, CA 95354

Phone:   (209) 572-9500

Modesto Police Department

Address: 2005 Evergreen Avenue, Modesto, CA 95350

Phone:   (209) 572-9635

Modesto Department of Motor Vehicles

Your attorney will want an official copy of your accident report. You can download the form and get instructions from the Modesto police website at this link.

https://www.modestogov.com/274/Modesto-Police-Records

Don’t Delay. Call OnderLaw for Help Today

The Modesto personal injury attorneys of OnderLaw can help protect your rights if you’ve been injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault. Our legal team provides personalized care and attention throughout your case.

We work on a contingency fee. This means you pay nothing out of pocket until we get compensation for you. Call us today or use our contact page for a no-cost consultation to discover how we can help protect your rights.